West Yorkshire Combined Authority Investment Committee asked to back £34 million

29 November 2018

Next week's meeting of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Investment Committee will be asked to back transport schemes, designed to support inclusive growth that benefits everyone in the region, which have a total value of £34 million.

They include remodelling the junction of the Leeds Outer Ring Road and Bradford Road at Dawsons Corner in Pudsey to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion and the possible widening of the Outer Ring Road between Dawsons and the Horsforth Roundabout.

Another scheme being considered by the Committee is a major enhancement of the Newton Bar roundabout in Wakefield. As well as improving how growing traffic levels are handled through the junction, the scheme will deliver better cycling and walking facilities.

Other road schemes being considered are increasing the capacity of the Dyneley Arms junction to reduce peak-time queues and junction improvements on the Leeds Outer Ring Road at Fink Hill in Horsforth to reduce congestion and introduce better pedestrian and cycling infrastructure.

As well as supporting economic growth that benefits all communities by reducing congestion, these schemes will also improve local air quality by removing queuing traffic.

Cllr Peter Box, Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Investment Committee, said:

"As we have recognised from the outset, a good transport network removes the costs of congestion for businesses, which helps them to grow and create new jobs and opportunities for local people.

"We have already committed around £150 million of investment through our West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund to achieve this."

Next week's Investment Committee meeting will also consider proposals to help small and medium sized enterprises across the Leeds City Region to attract external investment and an extension of the successful Business Growth Programme, which provides businesses with grants to accelerate investment which supports the safeguarding of existing jobs and the creation of new ones.

Members of the committee will also be updated on the plans to create 203 new parking spaces at Mytholmroyd rail station and a project designed to overcome flooding and drainage issues in the Wyke Beck Valley area of Leeds, which will open up brownfield land for residential development.

Details of next week's public meeting can be found on the Committees section of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority website.